Protection
by NinMandi
Summary: For 10iloveyou on LiveJournal.  When Sai becomes so protective over Sakura, can she ever hope to see from his point of view or will she be doomed to being annoyed to death?  Sai/Sakura.  T for safety, but probably okay.


**Author's Note/Disclaimer: **I do not own any part of _Naruto_, _Naruto Shippuden_, Sakura Haruno, Sai or any other official characters or franchise: those belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is one of the prompts on the "Mystic" table for 10iloveyou, a Livejournal community.

**Protection **

"What?" shrugged Sai. "I just don't like it when other guys look at you."

"But it was a little boy…you didn't have to shout at him." Said Sakura, cheeks still flushed over the public spectacle displayed by Sai in front of all the market denizens. At least the nine-year-old had enough sense to realize Sai was overreacting and just shrugged it off.

"I love you."

He knew how to push her buttons. "I love you too. But I'm not going anywhere, I promise." She stopped Sai in his and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Okay?"

"Okay." He stooped down and planted a kiss on her lips before they proceeded to walk home.

Two days later, the rain pounded against the village of Konoha. Sakura, who regretfully volunteered to stay late at the hospital when the platoon of ANBU members came back broken and hurt from a mission in the Snow Village, was caught in the quagmire of falling water as she rushed across town to the apartment she shared with Sai. It was nearly midnight, and the thick miasma of water and fog made the quiet street she walked on nearly impossible to see. Shadows shifted and transformed into other worldly creatures who weren't really there, and Sakura, though a chunnin and successful medical-nin for a few years now couldn't help but jump when the dark figures crossed her path.

"Take it easy Sakura," she tried to soothe herself. "Your fears are all in your imagination." But as she repeated this and other similar miniature pep talks in her mind, a black shape a block or two a head of her looked too solid to be a normal shadow. In fact, it took on one of the scariest forms to most young girls who are alone at night: a tall man. Swallowing hard, she pushed on. She has proved herself numerous times on the battle field that she is more than capable of taking care of herself, and she was probably overreacting. While she was busy reassuring herself, the shape came closer. The mysterious man moved with a confident lithe only a warrior could demonstrate, and Sakura decided it was better to be safe than sorry. Besides, if she could thwart this jerk, she'd prove to Sai once again that she can take care of herself.

The man proceeded forward. His shoulders were broad, and his height tall. She figured she'd have the upper hand since this freak probably assumed she thought of him as another passerby minding his own business. Second of all, she was smaller and lighter, so if needed she could move more swiftly than her opponent and strike at his vulnerable point. Taking a deep breath, she put on the air that she never even noticed the lurking man, and continued to walk on. The closer she came to him, the more relaxed he seemed to be. Well, she could also add to the list of his characteristics that he was confident in his own abilities for taking any opponent, especially one who's skills he hasn't witnessed, so lightly so soon.

She smirked. "This will be a piece of cake."

At long last she made it within a few yards of the black figure, causing the stranger to pick up his pace and hold his arms out. But Sakura was two steps ahead of him, figuratively speaking. When he was no more than a yard stick's length from her, she leapt into the air just above his head, shooting out her foot to connect to the side of his head. It made contact with his skull hard, resulting in a loud grunt of pain as he fell into a nearby puddle. When Sakura landed, she assessed her enemy as quickly as possible: he was temporarily paralyzed from the blow, just as she had planned. In addition, a small gash at the corner of his forehead poured blood, which is usually enough reason to send predators running in the opposite direction. But this guy was relentless. Heavily and with great effort he summoned the strength to hobble to his feet. His torso was bent, and he supported himself by placing his palms atop his knees. He was breathing heavy, and, recoiling, she pulled her leg back once more, this time striking him square in the stomach. This time, though, his coughs of pain sounded _very_ familiar.

"S-Sai?" she shouted in disbelief. What on earth was he doing outside on a night like this? She helped him to support himself by wrapping his right arm around her shoulder. Once his hacks and wheezes subsided, she asked "What are you doing here?"

"I saw…that kid wandering around…again…" he heaved, struggling to shine that same smile which used to lack confidence but not secretiveness. Sakura rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Sai! Why do you have to be this way?"

"I told you…I love you."

With a sigh and a blush, she turned the two around and guided Sai back to the hospital to get checked out. "Why I keep you around?"

"I don't know. Why?"

She playfully pushed him and laughed.

The automatic glass doors slipped open, bringing in the sound and moisture of midnight rain. Shizune looked up from her seat nearby where she was reviewing a patient's medical file and gasped at what she saw.

"Sakura, what happened to Sai?"

"Stupidity." She dragged him in further, though he was more conscious now than before and able to stand and walk on his own. Protection must be contagious. "You seem surprised."


End file.
